Man jailed after biting part of ear off during fight

A Belfast man was remanded into custody yesterday accused of biting part of a man’s ear off in a fight.

Using crutches to walk into the dock of Belfast Magistrates Court, 24-year-old Thomas McCoubrey was allowed to remain seated during the brief hearing.

McCoubrey, with an address at a hostel on Victoria Street in the city, was charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Brendan Walker and possessing class A cocaine on 13 September this year.

While a police constable told the court he believed he could connect McCoubrey to the offences, the defendant spoke only to confirm that he understood the two charges against him.

None of the circumstances surrounding the allegations were opened in court but it is understood the charges are in connection with an assault on a male in the Waring Street area of Belfast on the evening Wednesday, September 13.

Appealing for witnesses to come forward in a statement released by cops, Detective Sergeant Stephen Gardiner said: “Police received a report at approximately 10pm of an altercation between two males. One of the males, aged in his 30s, had part of his ear bitten off. The man was subsequently treated at hospital for his injury.”

In court on Saturday McCoubrey’s defence solicitor said she was not applying for bail at this stage but asked for the case to be adjourned to later in the week so that a suitable bail address could be obtained.

Remanding McCoubrey into custody and granting legal aid, District Judge Amanda Henderson ordered him to appear again via videolink on September 22.